A guy whose opinions I always respect posted a Facebook comment on Independence Day apparently pissed off by what he said was an obsession with negativity among Zimbabweans scattered across the globe as they reflected on what April 18 meant for them.

Turns out the many sons and daughters of the soil, from the “children of the war” to the “born frees,” the sentiment was that there was little to celebrate considering that the independence had spawned blood, sweat, tears, frustrations, broken bones, broken homes and hobos.

These are folks who left the motherland in search of “better lives” elsewhere. And of course these are compatriots who continue fighting for their right to vote by the authors of their misery who know too damn well that the political preferences of these millions lie not with the founding nationalist but elsewhere. For these political elites, political oblivion is a certainty if the Diaspora vote is allowed.

Thus it was that over this past weekend some young men spoke (“obsessed”) about hardships, never mind the setting: they were attending a lavish wedding of a childhood friend who could afford that kind of luxury “because he was in the Diaspora.” A young man in his late 20s, early 30s thereabout said: “I wish independence had come in 1994.” Obviously this was in reference to South Africa, seeing the young man getting married was working in SA and for him to be able to have a wedding in Bulawayo with a limousine and all that glitz was ample proof that South Africa still afforded the average Joe stupendous economic opportunities. But you still just have to point to the unending contradictions: the SA economy is still in the hands of “white capital,” and you only have to listen to Julius Malema, yet it is still affording young black men like the wedding guy a dream life seeing his fairytale wedding back home in Zimbabwe.

This wedding guy obviously has no concern about Julius Malema’s politics, never mind still the ubiquitous poverty that continues to stalk South African citizens which Malema likes to point at in what others see as his radical political views.  Meanwhile, back at the wedding, another young man said: “Independence should have come last year, then things would still be swell and we would all be working!” Talk about a harsh indictment for the nationalist fathers who are touting youth economic empowerment among other unorthodox means that employ such things as cudgels and sjamboks as what will bag them the coming polls.

At a time when the populist clarion call is the stripping of the country’s wealth by whites and the need to return of that wealth to indigenous peoples, young jobless youths obviously are yet to buy that. And one can actually recall some old grannies being heard yearning for the white years, and this time is it young men long accused of being born-frees with no appreciation of the sacrifices the nationalist fathers made who are seeing beyond the rhetoric. You have to hear the sentiments from young people from Matebeleland especially and all the talk about young economic empowerment concerning who is really benefiting from this whole exercise. It certainly isn’t them. Yet the exchanges at that wedding do tell us that someone sure is out of touch with this demographic despite the tunes being beamed on national television penned by born frees in celebration of masimba kuvanhu.  If a thirty-year old young man, because of his dire economic circumstances, can curse the placing of indigenous resources in the hands of a fellow black man in the name of political and economic independence, then surely the MDC-T folks who are telling Saviour Kasukuwere to slow down are not speaking out of turn.

After all, Zimbabwean seems to know where the country’s wealth has gone since 1980 and the latest efforts are but attempts to up the self-aggrandisement ante.

I watched a piece of journalistic buffoonery last night on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s Economic Forum and wondered who approves this kind of crap to make it to people’s living rooms. By its very name, the programme discusses economic matters but here was this fat guy with apparent breathing problems inviting Zanu PF’s chief of spin to talk politics! This guy who must be standing in for the amiable Billet Magara asked what I figured gotta be some of the dumbest leading questions to come from the mouth of a journalist. Instead of using the opportunity to quiz Rugare Gumbo why his political party has a proclivity for ruinous economic policies, he asks questions such as “do you think voters will realise the mistakes they did last elections by voting for the MDC?”; “Reports say there is factionalism in your party. How true are those reports?” and it went on and on. I’m like “what the kcuf”? What has this got to do with “Economic Forum?” And this is a programme supposedly made not by ZBC hacks but by independent producers! Independent of critical thinking! So much for intelligent journalism.

Does anyone honestly think a deputy minister can be bribed with 6,000 euros to write a  damning report about a fellow African diamond-producing country? Well, we know the alleged USD10 million bribe another African minister is accused of demanding from a diamond-producing company. Go figure.

I watch local news on the telly all day every day, and there is a worrying trend that misfits the GNU that makes a mockery of the role being played by other coalition colleagues. We have known for a very long time from Zanu PF that deputy ministers are not allowed on the Round Table when cabinet meets. Thus some people asked why we get an acting minister, a chap who already superintends another portfolio when there already exists a deputy minister who would by some people’s interpretation logically be expected to watch the gate when Mudenge for example is attacked by a bull. Yet this is given its improper perspective when you watch the news on national television.

From the ministries “led” by the MDC-T you get their deputies waxing lyrical about policy issues when in another place and time it is the minister as the top dog who would be grilled by the journos. But then we get these Zanu PF deputy ministers appearing on TV with alarming frequency you wonder if there is some kind of conspiracy to silence the other coalition voices and present very biased picture that it is these Zanu PF apparatchiks who are steering the troubled nation to placid waters. Thus it is that you get Udenge the deputy minister of economic planning gracing the television screen, Dokora the deputy of education oozing policy machismo, Bimha the deputy of industry and commerce going on and on about what I would rather hear from his boss. Why then not have other deputies like Gift Chimanikire and others if there is nothing wrong with the trend adopted by the news hacks? Good question that! Perhaps the Zanu PF officials are considered more telegenic, but then that’s highly debatable!

But then it is obviously about politics as usual – why show viewers the faces of ministers from parties that want to return the country to white-rule where blacks will once again be banned from walking on CBD sidewalks? Makes sense doesn’t it? We saw it even when there was this major launch of the schools IT project where the only story that emerged from IT Minister Chamisa was him apparently extolling the old president for initiating the schools computerisation programme. But I do feel like that guy who in a very dark night is busy winking at a girl he saw before the lights went out!

It’s always crazy the stuff your ears pick when you are out minding your own business. I watched a guy spend his money on a group of women the other day where the conversation became as explicit as it gets. Consenting adults so what, I mused. Then I heard one of the “ladies” say, “Some of us have been picked up by strangers and we ended up spending the night as far as Gwanda. But why do you men always insist on using condoms? You should go get tested if you are so concerned about Aids. We have had enough of these condoms. We want it raw.” “It” of course being sex.

I was given a jolt, wondering of course if there is any woman who claims prostitution as her way of life who actually has the luxury to make such demands, if there is any man who actually “sees reason” and literally throws caution to the wind.

I wondered if the ladies had themselves bothered to get tested, but because there is never any logic involved in these matters, this is an area where one can afford to impose their demands on others and still afford not to subscribe to the same! I suppose from the age old crap informed by the hypocrisy contained in the aphorism “do as I say and not as I do.”

I pondered how the female legislators who have brought sex to the public domain with such radicalism you would think this was the ultimate elixir for Zimbabwe multi-pronged woes would respond to such chutzpah, which by the way would be same kind the honourable MPs have exhibited.

I pondered on the connect between the government stats we get concerning HIV/Aids prevalence, whether indeed the country is winning the fight with such sex workers mocking clients who insist on condom use.

Of course these musings must not be read as claims that men do not make such demands themselves to forego “safe sex” as sex itself remains a site of struggle, of power and control which researchers note has been complicated by the patriarchy that continues to dominate the dynamics of such things as who decides the use of prophylactics.

I remembered a e-chat I had with a researcher working on HIV/Aids in Zimbabwe who intimated that the stats may indeed dwindle nationally yes, but still find new infections on the up within a given demographic. And the conversation I was listening to seemed to put these issues into perspective.

I asked myself if these ladies could actually make such demands in obvious pursuit of ultimate happiness, why the pleasure principle always has that mysterious proclivity to absent commonsense.

I recalled the words of Mark Twain: “Of all delights of this world man (and woman) cares most for sexual intercourse. He (she) will go any length for it – risk fortune, character, reputation, life itself.” (c.1906)

Is it not damn baffling that Home Affairs co-Minister Kembo Mohadi has told parliament that spot fines demanded by traffic cops is illegal? This according to a report carried by ZBC-TV in the 8 o’clock bulletin of 15 March 2012. Surely this has been happening long before the MDCs tagged along into this dysfunctional union, meaning Mohadi has superintended over this portfolio long enough to know the Acts like the back of his hand. Talk about ignorance of the law! Talk about  presiding over lawlessness! It does not get more abhorrent than that. No wonder then many here still view Zimbabwe as a lawless country, what with the ever rising public outcry about police corruption (and we read the other day the country’s top cop actually suggesting and with all seriousness that on-the-spot lie detector tests would do well in catching morally depraved cops who live-off motorists’ misery demanding bribes). But still, Zanu PF wackos imagine lawlessness as wanton violence, therefore the absence of that violence becomes a pointer that there is indeed rule of law in Zimbabwe! The syllogisms would be laughable if they were not a pointer to the dire repercussions they have on the lives of millions here. Such an admission from a cabinet minister elsewhere where democracy works, motorists and members of the public would be demanding this guy’s resignation. Better yet, he would be tendering his resignation in admission that he is an incompetent nincompoop. But what do you know, he continues head held up high, never mind the other court cases that have been splashed in the private media that would have long been cause enough for him to quit his post. With the court cases, how can his own cops serve and protect the poor villagers who dragged the Mohadi, the cops’ principal, to court? Then this. So many things wrong here.